


Healthy Patterns

by dontcare77ghj



Series: Sleep [23]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Drinking, F/M, M/M, Multi, Nightmares, Smoking, Tony Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:34:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25194010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontcare77ghj/pseuds/dontcare77ghj
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark/Reader, Tony Stark/Reader
Series: Sleep [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1518629
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	Healthy Patterns

Tony x reader x Bucky

Notes: Bucky was frozen at the same time as Steve. Bucky did not kill Tony’s parents but still has a metal arm

The team thought it was funny that the three of you were together. The three of you were such incredibly different people it was weird to watch you all interact with each other. Tony was a sarcastic asshole most of the time, Bucky was incredibly headstrong and resilient, and you were one of sweetest people some of the team had met. 

Somehow though, despite your opposite personalities, the three of you fit together. Though Tony was an asshole he was thoughtful and sweet with the two of you, Bucky was headstrong when it came to the two of you he would do anything to make you two happy and just because you were sweet did not mean you didn’t fight the hardest on missions or in battle because you would do anything to keep the two men safe. 

What the team didn’t see was how similar the three of you were. Especially in your unhealthy patterns.

“It’s two in the morning, Tony. Please just come to bed.” You begged, standing in the doorway of his lab. “Christ sakes, Buck’s in bed tonight.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I’ve just got to finish this tonight.” He sighed, barely looking up from his tablet. “I promise I’ll be in bed tomorrow night.”

“Tony, you are running yourself into the ground. At the rate you’re going I’m scared you’re going to make yourself ill.” You told him, stepping closer to the man.

“Oh, sweetheart, you worry too much. I’m going to be fine.” He assured, putting the tablet down and gesturing for you to come to him. Once you were close enough, he wrapped his arms around your middle and pulled you onto his lap.

“Tony, one day you’re not going to be okay.” You murmured. “One day you’re just not.”

“Sweetheart, trust me, for as long as I’m needed, I’m going to be alright.” He promised, raising your chin with two fingers and pressed his lips to yours.

“Come to bed, please.” You whispered as you pulled away. “We miss you.”

“Okay.” He agreed. “Okay, I’ll come up.” He said.

“Great.” You chirped, hoping off his lap and walking towards the door. “You coming, tiger?” You questioned, a small smirk crossing your face.

“You’re devious.” Tony groaned as he stood and followed you into the elevator. “I don’t know why people think you’re the sweet one, you’re evil.”

“They think I’m sweet because I am.” You smiled. “I am as sweet as sugar is fucking delicious.”

“That you are.” He chuckled as the elevator arrived at the floor you shared with Bucky.

“I didn’t think you’d actually get him to come up here.” Bucky commented as you both entered the bedroom. “Did she give you the face?”

“No, she guilt tripped me.” Tony grumbled, moving over the small fridge he kept in the corner of the room. “I’m telling you; we’re involved with an evil one.”

“What are you doing?” Bucky asked Tony as you climbed in with him. Turning to look at the man, you saw him pulling out an almost empty bottle of whiskey.

“Just having a sip.” Tony said before finishing off the bottle. 

“Five bucks.” Bucky said, turning to you with a hand out. “I told you so.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know you did.” You grumbled. “I’ll give it to you in the morning. I’m too tired to grab my purse at the moment.” You said, laying down.

“Wait what? Why does Y/N owe you money?” Tony questioned, pulling off his shirt.

“Because we had a bet and I won. I told her even if you did come up, you would have a drink.” Bucky said, wrapping his arm around you.

“I don’t always have a drink.”

“Yes you do!” You snapped, sitting up. “It’s every night and every time we bring it up you dismiss it. Is sleeping next to us so bad you need to be buzzed to do it?” You questioned.

“No, no, sweetheart, that’s not it at all.” Tony said, sitting next to you on the bed. “I swear that’s not it all.”

“Then what is it, tone?” Bucky asked him. Tony didn’t say anything as he merely stared at the two of you.

“Forget it. Let’s just go to bed.” You sighed, shrugging Tony’s hand off and turning over.

“I do it to stop the nightmares.” Tony admitted after a minute of silence. “Since the whole Loki thing I can’t sleep.” He continued, seeing the two of you turn to him and listen. “I can’t sleep without having to watch the two of you die over and over again. The alcohol numbs it enough I don’t have to remember it in the morning.”

“Tony why didn’t you just tell us?” Bucky questioned him. “We would’ve understood.”

“I’m a Stark, I’ve been bottling things in since I was born.” He snarked before letting out a sigh. “I also just didn’t want either of you to know. I didn’t want you to think I’m weak.”

“Oh, honey, come here.” You cooed, pulling Tony into your arms. “Go to sleep, honey. We’ll talk this over in the morning some more, okay?” You said, running your fingers through Tony’s short hair. 

Tony didn’t get to reply as the combination of alcohol and your soothing fingers lulled him off to sleep. 

“We’ll talk to him tomorrow.” Bucky agreed, pulling the two of you closer and drifted off to sleep. With a nod you closed your eyes and rested your head on Buck’s chest.

Tomorrow. You would talk tomorrow.

Non-reader POV

Tony didn’t quit drinking, but he did stop drinking before going to sleep. It was because of Bucky and Y/N that he began to see a psychiatrist. Tony could sleep at night once again thanks to their help but tonight he just seemed unable to.

Tony sat up as slowly as possible, expecting to see both his partners asleep next to him but only saw one. Tony let out a sigh as he realized which of his partners wasn’t in bed. As carefully as he could he slid out of bed and wrapped the blankets around a still sleeping Y/N.

“And what are you doing out here?” Tony asked, walking into the living room. Buck’s head shot up from the book he was reading and had the decency to look guilty.

“Hi, babe, you look nice.” Bucky said, cheeks red.

“Don’t sweet talk me, mister.” Tony scolded. “It’s three in the morning, you’re supposed to be in bed with me and Y/N.”

“I know. I just, really wanted to read this book.” Bucky told Tony as said man moved closer to him.

“Bullshit.” Tony scoffed. “Steve gave you that book a month ago, if you’d wanted to read it you would’ve done it a while ago. I’m not an idiot Buck.”

“I know.” Bucky sighed, resting his head in his hands.

“Is this about what happened the other night?” Tony asked, sitting next to the brunette.

“No.” He responded quickly.

“It is.” Tony said. “You know she doesn’t blame you for that, right?”

“She should.” Bucky said firmly. “She should hate me. How can she bare to look at me? I’m a monster.”

“You are not a monster.” Tony denied him. “You are not a monster. You are our Bucky and our Bucky is no monster.”

“I hurt her.” Bucky said, still not looking at the man next to him. “I physically hurt her and that’s on me. All me.”

“No it’s not.” Y/N said. Tony looked up and saw their girlfriend, standing in the doorway. She had little on apart from Bucky’s shirt, which was big enough it was sliding off her shoulder showing the fresh bruise on her neck. “It was an accident Buck, you are not a monster.”

“I hurt you, doll. I had a nightmare and I attacked you. There’s no excuse for that.”

“You did not attack me. You got spooked and you weren’t fully awake. It was a mistake, Buck, you didn’t mean it.” Y/N said, kneeling down in front of the man.

“Accidents happen. We all do things we don’t mean but you can’t keep sleeping out here because you’re scared to hurt one of us.” Tony added. 

“What if next time, it’s not a bruise?” Bucky asked, finally looking up. “What if next time I seriously injure one of you? Or worse.”

“You won’t.” Tony told him firmly. “Because we love you and you love us. You’re not going to hurt us.”

“Now come back to bed. It’s cold without you neither of us can sleep without you there.” Y/N said, making Bucky crack a small smile for the first time that night.

“Are you trying to guilt me into healthy sleep habits?”

“I don’t know, is it working?” Y/N teased, rising to a stand. She held both hands out to the still sitting men and pulled them to a stand.

“I love you two. Thank you for everything.” Bucky murmured to the two long after they fell asleep on his broad chest.

And Bucky didn’t leave the bed again that night.

Reader POV

Every night for the past week, like clockwork, you would wake up three hours after falling asleep. And every night you would sneak out onto the balcony and pull out your hidden pack of cigarettes. You wouldn’t call yourself a smoker per say, but after a sleep like that, a smoke was the only thing that calmed you down.

“That’s going to kill you.” A voice said as you lit the stick. You shook your head and leaned against the railing as you inhaled a long puff.

“Well something is going to. It’s either this or a bullet.” You commented, not looking back at the person. “What are you doing up here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” Bucky said, moving to stand beside you. “I decided to come up here when I noticed my girlfriend sneaking out of bed every night and coming back smelling like a nicotine factory.”

“Funny but just so you know, I only have one.” You said, inhaling another drag.

“This is going to kill you doll.” Bucky said, taking it out of your hand and having his own drag. “Plus, it’s certainly not going to help you sleep.”

“Okay first off; that was hypocritical.” You told him, watching as he put the smoke out. “And secondly I don’t want to sleep.”

“Doll you were asleep for three hours before you came out here. There’s no way you’re going to function well tomorrow.” Bucky sighed.

“I’ve gotten by on less.” You shrugged.

“How come you’ve never mentioned you’re a smoker, baby doll?” The man asked you as you stared at the world below.

“Because it’s not that big a deal. I don’t do it all the time, sometimes I just need one after a bad night. It’s only ever one, it’s not that big a deal.” You said without looking at him.

“What do you mean, bad nights?”

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had issues with sleep paralysis. It’s the one thing that scares the shit out of me because it feels like this it and I’m going to die. Sometimes I just can’t cope.” You said, turning towards him. “It doesn’t happen as often as it did when I was a kid but this week, it just won’t stop. And I can’t make it stop. I just want it to stop.”

“Darling why didn’t you tell us about any of this?” Bucky asked you.

“I hate talking about it. I hate having to resort to nicotine after an episode. I just hate it all.”

“You should have talked to us about this, sweetheart. We would’ve understood.” Tony said, making his presence on the balcony known.

“I know. I know, I just never got around to it.” You said as Tony walked up behind you and wrapped his arms around your waist. 

“Well now we know. And we’re going to help you, if you want our help that.” Bucky said, enveloping the two of you in his warmth.

“Please.” You begged.

“Well first you’re going to give me the rest of your smokes.” Bucky told you, putting his hand out in front of you. After a second you placed the remainder of your carton in his hands. “I’m throwing them out brcause you dont need them, baby doll. They’re not good for you." 

“And now we’re going to head inside. You don’t have to sleep if you don’t want to, but it’s cold out here.” Tony said, manoeuvring the three of you so you could all shuffle inside. Tony guided the two of you back to bed, where the two men climbed in leaving a space in between them for you.

You bit down on your lip as you stared at the open space between them.

“Come on, sweetheart. We’ll keep you safe.” Tony said, pulling the blanket back for you. You let out a breath before nodding and crawling in between the two.

“We’re here, doll, no more smoking. If you go back to sleep and have more paralysis, wake us up.” Bucky said, pulling you and Tony close to him. You nodded at his words and relaxed into the two’s hold

It took you two hours to finally fall asleep and you did wake an hour later but this time you didn’t resort to nicotine instead gently waking Bucky and Tony who stayed awake with you until the sun rose.

You felt bad for waking the two, but talking with the two felt better than a nicotine high.

The three of you had bad habits. They were things you were working on and occasionally relapsed upon but you were working together. You were working together to gain healthy habits. To gain healthy patterns


End file.
